The alternative Hippopotamus song should not be forgotten, but who is the author?


I had a Hippopotamus, I kept him in a shed,
I fed him up on vitamins and vegetable bread,
I made him my companion on many a cheery walk
And had his portait taken by a celebrity in chalk.

His charming eccentricities was known on every side
The creature's popularity was wonderfully wide
He frolicked with the Rector in a dozen friendly tussles
Who couldn't but remark upon his hippopotamuscles

If he should be afflicted by depression or the dumps,
By hippopotameasles or hippopotamumps,
I never knew a particle of peace till it was plain,
He was hippopotamasticating properly again.

I had a hippopotamus, I loved him like a friend
But beautiful relationships are bound to have an end
Time takes alas our joys from us and robs us of our blisses
My hippopotamus turned out a hippopotamisses.

My housekeeper regarded him with jaundice in her eye
She didn't want a colony of hippopotami
She borowed a machine gun from her soldier nephew Percy
Who showed my hippopotamus no hippopotamercy

My house now lacks the glamour that the charming creature gave,
The garage where I kept him is as silent as the grave,
No longer he displays amongst the motor tyres and spanners,
His hippopotamastery of hippopotamisses

No longer does he gambol in the orchard in the spring,
No longer do I lead him through the village on a string,
No longer in the mornings does the neighbourhood rejoice,
To his hippopotamusically modulated voice.

I had a hippopotamus, but nothing upon earth,
Is lasting in its happiness or constant in its mirth
No joy that life can give me can be strong enough to smother,
My sorrow for what might have been a hippopotamother

I had a hippopotamus, I loved him like a friend
But beautiful relationships are bound to have an end
Time will take alas the joy from you, and rob you of your blisses
When your hippopotamus turns out a hippopotamisses.

If you know where this came from please let us know.
Trying to trace owner, nearest known source in Cheltenham Uk, but furthest source to date in Connnecticut, USA

Festival Cat
www.uptonfolk.org